Winning start for new Mayo Volleyball Club

MAYO's newest sports club, Mayo Volleyball Club, has certainly hit the ground running, notching up three wins in their first three outings.

Two of the founding members, Mikal Marie O'Boyle, an American living in Knock, and Claremorris native Edel Nolan, played with Galway Volleyball Club in the premier league over the last number of years. Mikal Marie has also played volleyball inter state in the US, while Edel plays for the Irish national team.

Driven by their experience and love for the sport, they decided to set up Mayo Ladies Volleyball Club.

Mayo has a great tradition of ladies volleyball at schools level (proportionally more than most counties) and the girls thought it a shame that once these players leave school there is no outlet for them to progress in the sport unless they leave the county.

They started up training sessions once a week in Barnacaroll Community Centre and soon former players in both Claremorris and Kiltimagh (schools that have won All-Irelands and still compete at highest level) started to join. Week by week they saw an increase in numbers and also in standards as players continued to improve.

They bit the bullet at the end of August and decided to formally enter with the Volleyball Association of Ireland, deeming their club the first ever Mayo Volleyball Club.

The league runs from October to April and the Mayo club has had to start in Division 2. And what a start it has been.

Mayo Volleyball Club have won their first three matches and their fourth game is a home match against nearest challengers Galway Volleyball Club, who missed out on promotion after finishing level on points with Newbridge last season, with the latter having a superior set difference.

The match against Galway is at home this Sunday, October 23, at 2.30 p.m.

 

* If you'd like to find out more about the club, either as a player or supporter, check out their Facebook page.